Item 41 - Letter from William Whewell

WW discusses his historical approach to architecture: 'I look at the features of the architecture and pronounce very authoritatively what the date and history of the building ought to be. This does vary also when I take a large and distant field like France or Germany...But it would not do so well for a single building in England; people would certainly expect me to shew by some external evidence that the period and circumstances of the work were what my doctrines make them'. Is HJR 'surprised at the election for speaker? I suppose not, for by this time you must have learnt to be surprised at nothing. Stanley's conduct seems to me to be as great a gain for the conservative cause as the loss of the speakership is a loss. As for church reform I dare say it will be a reasonably well compounded dose when one considers the doctors; and probably when the first soreness of the application is over we shall be but rather better than worse for it - at any rate we must hope it will be so as our good hopes are the best inheritance we have left'.